Such a device is known from the U.S. Pat. No. 4,127,113. Herein the carrier extends parallel to the stem and the bristles are directed substantially perpendicu1ar to the stem. The carrier, when obtaining a smear sample, is placed with the bristles in the cervical canal and is rotated, whereby the ends of the bristles scrape the wall of the cervical canal. When the carrier is fully inserted in the cervical canal, an edge of a flattened blade at the end of the stem scrapes along the mouth of the cervix to remove cells therefrom.
In the pap smear test it is important for a proper diagnosis, that both squamo epithelial cells of the portio and cilindrical epithelial cells of the endocervical canal are present in the specimen to be examined (a so-called representative smear sample). This ensures, that the area of junction between ecto- and endocervix, i.e. the squamocolumnar junction, where the cervical carninoma and its early stages preferably develop, has been sampled in the cell collection, whereby a greater chance exists that the carcinoma or its early stages are discovered in time.
However, the known device has the disadvantage, that although cells from the cervical canal are removed in a reliable manner, cells from the junction area or the squamo area may be missed. This can for instance occur, when it is not possible to place the whole carrier with its bristles in the cervical canal, whereby the edge of the flattened blade does not scrape along the mouth of the cervix and no cells are removed from that place. In this way it is not possible to obtain a reliable illustration of the condition of the cervix.
A further disadvantage of the known device is, that when the cellular material removed from the cervix is delivered to the microscopic slide, the edge of the flattened blade serves as guide and the cellular material collected thereon does not arrive onto the slide.